Chapter 4 - Behind the Winter Garden
The winter garden occupied the eastern side of the Hawthorne estate.
It had been closed for years.
Margaret claimed a burst pipe had ruined most of the glasshouse.
Emily did not believe that explanation anymore.
Neither did Daniel.
They entered shortly after midnight.
Moonlight filtered through dusty panes.
Dead vines clung to iron frames.
Broken ceramic pots lined the walls.
Emily held the old photograph tightly.
“Behind the winter garden.”
Daniel studied the rear wall.
“There’s nothing behind it except the old service corridor.”
Margaret stopped walking.
Emily noticed.
“You know something.”
Margaret looked exhausted.
“When the mansion was renovated, Richard sealed part of that corridor.”
“Why?”
“He said it was unnecessary.”
Daniel moved toward the back wall.
A wooden cabinet stood against it.
Together, he and Emily pushed it aside.
Behind the cabinet was a narrow door covered in dust.
Margaret whispered.
“I haven’t seen that door open in twenty years.”
Daniel forced the rusted lock with a fireplace poker.
The door groaned inward.
A narrow passage appeared.
Emily smelled damp stone and old wood.
They entered.
The corridor ended at another wall.
Daniel ran his flashlight over the bricks.
One brick was newer than the others.
Emily touched it.
It moved.
Behind it was a small cavity.
Inside sat a metal box.
Emily’s heart began pounding.
The box contained photographs.
Bank statements.
A cassette tape.
And a sealed envelope.
The envelope had one name written across the front.
Emily.
Her hands started shaking.
Daniel stepped back.
“You should open it.”
Emily tore the seal carefully.
The paper inside was yellowed with age.
My sweet Emily.
If you ever read this, then I failed to fix what they did to us.
Emily stopped.
Her vision blurred.
She forced herself to continue.
Victor stole the money.
He changed the accounts.
He used my access codes.
When I discovered it, he threatened you.
I agreed to leave because I believed leaving would keep you safe.
But Richard knew more than he admitted.
And Margaret knew enough to ask questions.
Do not trust the story they told about me.
You were the reason I stayed alive.
You were never the reason I ran.
Emily pressed the letter against her mouth.
Daniel stared at the floor.
Margaret began crying silently.
Then Emily unfolded the final page.
One sentence had been underlined twice.
If Victor ever learns about the recording, he will destroy everything.
Daniel looked at the cassette.
“The recording.”
May you like
A sound came from the corridor behind them.
Someone was running away.
